“In his last few months in office, will the Prime Minister look at the grotesque unfairness of the Government Grant allocation to Local Authorities which sees council tax payers in West Berkshire receiving approximately 1/3rd of the amount per head of non-schools grant compared with council tax payers in parts of the North East”.

Tony Blair chose to answer a different question and his words may be found on Hansard. Richard Benyon said,

“I wanted the Prime Minister to explain to an elderly or disabled person in need of Social Services in Newbury why they are so much less important to the Government than someone in similar circumstances living further north. It is a great pity, but no surprise, that I did not receive a direct answer. I will keep badgering Ministers to right the wrong that is being done to the people of West Berkshire